RC 98k questions

Nabs

Nabs

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Just a few questions regarding my Kar98k.

She is a Russian capture but does not bare some of the typical RC markings. The crude "X" is not present on the receiver for instance. The only way you would know it is a RC is the plum that is on the extractor, magazine spring, bolt stop, and band spring along with the serial number electro penciled on the bolt and trigger assembly. Any idea why the "X" is not present (not that I am complaining) ?

On a similar note, her receiver serial number puts her at a possible production date between September and November, 1940 (my guess) but her matching front sight does not have appear to have slots for a sight hood cut into the sides of the front sight. The edges for the wind age part of the sight do stick out a bit, could this be for the front sight hood ?

Edit: Just thinking out loud, if the manufacture had more than one assembly line going for Kar98ks, would it be possible for them to have used different suffixes per assembly line regardless of month ? If so, the receiver and barrel may very well be early to mid 1940 and not no provision made for the front sight hood.

I can provide of a picture of the front sight if anyone has a Kar98k with a sight hood that they are willing to throw up for comparison.
 
Nabs said:
On a similar note, her receiver serial number puts her at a possible production date between September and November, 1940 (my guess) but her matching front sight does not have appear to have slots for a sight hood cut into the sides of the front sight.
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Earlier K98's did not have a sight hood, that was a feature that came in later on in the war.
 
I was informed it was a late '40s introduction and I was just wondering if my Kar98k had it at one point. I managed to get her cleaning rod and lock screws back (not her original ones anyway) but I was curious about the front sight hood possibility.
 
Parts in Parts bins were used up and not thrown away. Certain feature will overlap in any wartime production.
 
In regards to the lack of an "X" marking - sometimes some parts didnt get fully stamped/ or were passed over. Its like some of the RC's you see with intact swastikas and waffenampts (like mine, yet a very crude X and plum parts). Chances are it may have been passed over. Pictures!
 
I will post some pictures to show her condition. I stripped the black paint that was flaking off the take down disc and recoil lug and both parts are now in their original white finish. The next task will be re-finishing the stock as the shellac is coming off and the previous owner's layer of varnish was not applied evenly and just does not feel good to hold.

I will also include a picture of the front sight so we can put to rest the possibility of her ever having a front sight hood.
 
ArtyMan said:
In regards to the lack of an "X" marking - sometimes some parts didnt get fully stamped/ or were passed over. Its like some of the RC's you see with intact swastikas and waffenampts (like mine, yet a very crude X and plum parts). Chances are it may have been passed over. Pictures!
Click to expand...
Mine has the receiver X, but waffenamts are still all intact. Interesting how alot of K98s I've been hearing about in Canada still have their markings unpeened. Does this increase their value at all?
 
I would imagine so. All the waffenampts on my 98k are intact, none have been defaced. When I first bought her off my close friend and realized it was a complete mis-match, I was depressed thinking "what is this worth ?" but now I can see beyond that. She has parts from many different Kar98ks that could have seen service on many different fronts.

I have seen only one other RC in person and I inspected it at a gunshow. I think it had the "X" but don't quote me on that as I wasn't looking for it at the time. Funny enough, it was the same year and maker as my K98k but I did not have the money to buy it. It sold the same day.
 
Im not sure about the increase in value, but to me its an increase in history. Nothing wrong with peened K98s, that in itself is a really interesting piece of history.
 
I've seen other K98s with plum extractors that weren't Russian capture. I realise the Russians are famous for that patina but they weren't the only ones that did it. I have a 1938 CZ24 that was built for the Bohemian contract that has a plum colored extractor. It also has a front sight protector and stamped trigger guard and floor plate. All of the parts have matching numbers, other than the safety and rear sight. They made up just over 9000 rifles for the Bohemian contract and utilised the parts they had on hand. I also have a BYF 44 that is a vet bring back. It has a plum extractor as well and all the parts on this rifle are matching. To bad Walter cut the bayonet down to use as a hunting knife. The rifle is in 90%+ condition. No duffle cut either.
 
Mine is not a duffle cut either, niether is any of my other Mausers and I truly wonder how they got into North America as they are not import marked either.

Here some pictures, let me know what you guys think:

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looks like an RC to me, I could be completely off though. My RC has all the same plum parts and the same electropencled serial numbers. I have never seen that symbol underneath the 1892 serial number on the reciever/barell area. My rifle has a small h,which I was told meant Heer,or army - PLEASE correct me if im wrong.

Either way VERY nice rifle!
 
I think the letter that denotes service is stamped on the right side of the butt stock just under the Waffenampt. I have an "H" there too which I believe means "Heer" or Army Service.

That symbol is registered as a "t" on my firearm certificate so I am going to assume it is suffix that is attached to the serial. It follows the same pattern from my Gewehr 98 and my Kar98a.

I still do not know or could guess at what those triangle symbols are on the receiver, anyone else have a 1940s J.P. Sauer and Son, Suhl available for pictures ?
 
Nabs, if it's a refurbed capture rifle, which it looks like it is, there is no reason for it to be "duffle cut".
Canada doesn't require that the imports be stamped either.

As far as replacing the "missing parts", you're not doing yourself any favors, other than esthetics. The rifles shouldn't have these parts. That was a historical part of the refurbishment process and makes the rifles incorrect. The Soviets had this stuff refurbed in many different places. I'm sure that the workers had a quota to maintain as well. Some things that were cosmetic, just didn't get done.

The Soviets also gave or sold countless thousands of these rifles to wannabe socialists all over the world. Cambodia, Viet Nam and some middle eastern countries to name a few. Rumor is they still have warehouses full of stuff but are trickling it out slowly to keep up market prices. The left wingers around the world have severely limited the open markets for these arms and most countries, no matter how poor, want only modern, full auto capable weapons for their troops.

That's one of the nicer RCs I've seen. The Soviets covered up some very pretty rifles with that god awful shellac they insisted on using.

Just as an after thought, that triangle just might be a "Tula" factory stamp. There is a good chance it was refurbed there and so marked.
 
Or rather, had the wrong stuff to begin with. You might want to try a hand-rubbed oil finish, I hear that veg oil works wonders, I had a friend do a stock in hand rubbed olive oil.
 
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